Grubbin Line/SM
Grubbin can be found on Routes 1, 4, 5 and 6 in both games. Charjabug can be found in Blush Mountain. TBD Important Matchups * Hau battle #2 (Iki Town): Vice Grip has the best damage output against Pichu, scoring a 2-3HKO on average, against Pichu's relatively weak Thunder Shock. Grubbin also has a decent matchup against Rowlet, dealing slightly higher damage than its Tackle, though it will need healing or to be switched out at some point during the battle; it loses against Popplio and Litten instead, particularly the latter, whose Ember is far stronger than any of Grubbin's moves. * Ilima (Hau'oli City, Normal-type): Grubbin's Bite can 3HKO Yungoos before Yungoos deals enough damage with Tackle, or a combination of Tackle and Leer. The matchup against Smeargle is feasible if it does not know Ember; in that case, its Tackle will be about as powerful as Grubbin's Bite after the Technician boost, so Grubbin will be able to deal some damage before healing or switching out. Ember, however, puts Grubbin at a decisive disadvantage. * Totem Gumshoos/Raticate (Verdant Cavern): Grubbin is very disadvantaged against Totem Gumshoos, taking much more damage than it can deliver. Totem Raticate is also impossible, unless Grubbin already knows Bug Bite; in that case, the move will 2-3HKO, but the matchup is not risk-free as the ally Rattata may either Leer or add up damage with Hustle-boosted Quick Attack. * Hau (Route 3): Grubbin's Bug Bite wins against Pikachu and Popplio, 2-3HKOing the former and 3-4HKOing the latter on average, but loses against Rowlet and Litten, which can hit for super effective STAB with Peck and Ember respectively. * Hala (Iki Town, Fighting-type): Vice Grip has better damage output than Mankey's Pursuit, and can 3-4HKO; however, Mankey also knows Focus Energy, which can make the fight more even. The matchup against Makuhita is similar: even a five-hit Arm Thrust is weaker than Vice Grip, but Sand Attack can get in the way of Grubbin actually hitting. Grubbin's power also falls short against Crabrawler: despite the Fighting resistance, All-Out Pummeling still inflicts great damage and even regular Power-Up Punch contributes to complicating the matchup; having Spark already can only help so much, since Grubbin would still be at a disadvantage against Hala's ace. * Ilima (Hau'oli City, Normal-type, optional): Although Grubbin's Bug Bite is stronger than Smeargle's Ember, scoring a 3HKO, Smeargle may also 3HKO with the move and Grubbin can only win for certain by healing once. Grubbin should come nowhere close to Gumshoos, which can even one-shot with Breakneck Blitz. * Hau (Paniola Town): Grubbin's Bug Bite still 2-3HKOs Pikachu without a problem, but it loses against all three of Hau's possible starters. While Acrobatics may net a 2HKO against Dartrix, so can Dartrix with Peck, and Torracat delivers super effective STAB damage via Fire Fang. Even Brionne is considerably stronger than Grubbin, despite having gained access to Spark: Breakneck Blitz can chip away almost half of Grubbin's health, and Water Gun finishes the job two turns later. Only paralysis achieved through Spark can subvert the matchup. * Gladion (Route 5): Grubbin loses against Zubat, since both Wing Attack and Spark are 2HKOs, but Zubat is faster. Type: Null is also far beyond Grubbin's reach in sheer power. * Totem Wishiwashi (Brooklet Hill): * Battle Royal (Royal Park): An unevolved Grubbin thoroughly loses against all three opponents in the Battle Royal. * Totem Salazzle (Wela Volcano Park): * Totem Lurantis (Lush Jungle): * Plumeria (Akala Outskirts): * Olivia (Ruins of Life, Rock-type): * Lana (Konikoni City, Water-type, optional): * Kiawe (Konikoni City, Fire-type, optional, Sun only): * Mallow (Konikoni City, Grass-type, optional, Moon only): * Hau (Malie City): * Totem Vikavolt (Hokulani Observatory): * Guzma (Malie Garden): * Totem Mimikyu (Thrifty Megamart): * Plumeria (Route 15): * Guzma (Shady House): * Gladion (Aether House): * Nanu (Malie City, Dark-type): * Faba (Aether Paradise): * Faba (Aether Paradise, tag battle with Aether Foundation employee): * Guzma (Aether Paradise): * Lusamine (Aether Paradise): * Hapu (Vast Poni Canyon, Ground-type): * Totem Kommo-o (Vast Poni Canyon): * Lusamine (Ultra Space): * Solgaleo (Altar of the Sunne, Sun only): * Lunala (Altar of the Moone, Moon only): * Gladion (Mount Lanakila): * Hau (Mount Lanakila): * Elite Four Hala (Pokémon League, Fighting-type): * Elite Four Olivia (Pokémon League, Rock-type): * Elite Four Acerola (Pokémon League, Ghost-type): * Elite Four Kahili (Pokémon League, Flying-type): * Professor Kukui (Pokémon League): * Tapu Koko (Ruins of Conflict): * Post-Game: Moves Grubbin starts with just Vice Grip, then learns String Shot at level 4 and Mud Slap at level 7. Its initial moveset is good, but nothing special; it gets further coverage at level 10, however, through Bite. STAB rolls out easily afterwards: at level 13, Grubbin gets Bug Bite, and at level 16 it learns Spark, which receives the 50% boost only four levels later. Grubbin also learns Acrobatics at level 19, though it is likely to get access to the move via TM before it does so by level. The first move after the evolution into Charjabug is the fairly useful Crunch, a good upgrade of Bite; although Bug Bite makes part of the Dark coverage redundant, it nevertheless does its job against Ghost-types and anything that may resist Bug moves. Further upgrades come at level 31, when Charjabug learns X-Scissor. Then Dig, at level 37, can be considered, depending on the team's needs for coverage; it can be kept over Crunch or left to be. Charjabug learns Discharge at level 43 as well, though this move is unlikely to do much; Vikavolt gets the more powerful Thunderbolt upon evolution, and Charjabug's Special Attack is not good, so Spark will deal more damage until the evolution occurs. At level 49, Vikavolt learns Agility whereas Charjabug learns Iron Defense; both moves can be useful, and the area that makes Vikavolt's final evolution possible comes around not long before said level, so deciding to postpone the evolution to get both moves is an option. As most interesting TMs are Vikavolt exclusives, Charjabug will not get much more until its evolution happens. Special moves such as Charge Beam, Volt Switch and Thunderbolt can be learned by TM, but Charjabug's Special Attack and Speed are too low to support them. Acrobatics can be taught a little earlier, and potentially also X-Scissor, but these TMs only add flexibility to Charjabug's moveset, as they would also be learned normally by level. Light Screen is a defensive option to consider, especially since Charjabug's Defense is good, despite its low base HP. Once evolved, Vikavolt obtains further coverage in the form of Energy Ball, or optionally Solar Beam if running in a team with Drought or Sunny Day users; Flash Cannon is also a viable move in a team that needs further coverage against Fairy-, Ice- or Rock-types, though Vikavolt should never fight Rock-types carelessly, and preferably never at all. Recommended moveset: Recommended Teammates TBD Other Grubbin's stats Charjabug's stats Vikavolt's stats * What Nature do I want? * At what point in the game should I be evolved? * How good is the Grubbin line in a Nuzlocke? Grubbin's type matchups: * Weaknesses: Flying, Rock, Fire * Resistances: Fighting, Ground, Grass * Immunities: None * Neutralities: Normal, Poison, Bug, Ghost, Steel, Water, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark, Fairy Charjabug's type matchups: * Weaknesses: Rock, Fire * Resistances: Fighting, Steel, Grass, Electric * Immunities: None * Neutralities: Normal, Flying, Poison, Ground, Bug, Ghost, Water, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark, Fairy Vikavolt's type matchups: * Weaknesses: Rock, Fire * Resistances: Fighting, Steel, Grass, Electric * Immunities: Ground (Levitate) * Neutralities: Normal, Flying, Poison, Bug, Ghost, Water, Psychic, Ice, Dragon, Dark, Fairy Category:Sun/Moon